Cheshire schools chief confirms high school principal is on way out (video)

Luther Turmelle, New Haven Register Staff

Published 12:00 am, Wednesday, June 20, 2012

CHESHIRE -- Superintendent of Schools Greg Florio confirmed Wednesday that Cheshire High School Principal Kevin Ryan has resigned from his post and said that some basic employment issues were the reason the Shelton resident was asked not to return to his position.

Ryan's resignation, which the New Haven Register first reported Monday evening, takes effect June 30. However, Florio said that Ryan will be doing some work for the district over the summer, what he termed "special projects" that will carry through until September.

"Mr. Ryan and I came to an agreement regarding that resignation several weeks ago," Florio said, adding that he had determined in late April that Ryan should not return as principal. "But he and I also had an agreement that the resignation would also not be made public until after Cheshire High's graduation, which as you know was last evening. The reason the resignation was important at this time was so that we could move forward immediately in naming his successor,

Ryan was placed on what was initially termed a "medical leave," but what Florio is now calling "a personal leave," at the end of May. He makes roughly $135,000 a year, Florio said.

Ryan did not attend graduation ceremonies, but Florio insisted that was Ryan's choice and that he had not been ordered not to attend. Ryan has not returned phone calls seeking comment on his situation and has hired an attorney to block Freedom of Information requests made by three newspapers, including the New Haven Register, for access to his Cheshire personnel files, as well as similar paperwork for jobs he held in the Milford and Farmington school districts.

Florio said he made his decision that Ryan should not return after "after attendance became an issue during several meetings in April."

"His inconsistent attendance at these meetings made it hard for us to plan graduation," Florio said. The superintendent said his mutual agreement with Ryan to resign was strictly based on personnel issues and that the decision was not based on any violation of school policies or any laws.

Assistant Superintendent of Schools Scott Detrick will oversee the day-to-day operations of Cheshire High School while Florio and the Board of Education seek Ryan's replacement.

"As you know, the board meets less frequently in the summer, but it is my hope to have his replacement as soon as possible," Florio said. Although Florio said he has at least one potential internal candidate to fill the position, the superintendent said the district will also seek out external candidates as well. If the search ends up dragging into late August, Florio said, he would then name an interim principal to give the board more time to look for a replacement.

Ryan was hired as principal of the high school in July 2009, replacing Judy Gallagher, first as an interim replacement, then long-term.

This is not the first time Ryan has had to take a leave of absence in his education career.

Before coming to Cheshire, Ryan was hired in July 2007 by the Milford public schools as an assistant superintendent of schools for teaching and learning. He worked in the position, which paid $132,000 a year, for two months before taking what school officials called a medical leave of absence.

Ryan resigned from that job in October 2007. He has said his leave of absence from the Milford job was unrelated to medical issues, but would not comment further about it.

Call Luther Turmelle at 203-789-5706. Follow him on Twitter @LutherTurmelle.